Wonder

   When given the choice between being right and being kind,  choose kind! 

   Week 1:  Young Adult Literature, SEL theme

    

Wonder

 by R.J .Palacio

     This book started the “choose kind” revolution, it inspired people around the world to be better children, better parents, and better citizens. 

      Wonder is about a boy named August (Auggie) Pullman.  August was born with a facial difference.   Even with multiple surgeries his face will never look normal.  The number of surgeries, 27, was the reason that August did not attend school.  He had two or three surgeries a year preventing him from being able to attend.  His mom home-schooled him and he had his family and one friend.  Right before fifth grade, his mom thought that it would be a good idea for him to start attending school.  August was not a fan of the idea but eventually gives in to the idea and starts Middle School at Beech Prep. 

     The interesting thing about this book is that it starts off from the “point of view” of August.  You get the feeling that the whole book is going to be from his point of view, however, it then switches from him telling the story to his sister, Via, telling the story from her side. From there the points of view expand to many different characters in the book.  So you never get just one side of the story, but many.  It made the story much more meaningful because you got to experience how many characters felt and what they were going through.

   The main idea of the book is “kindness” and how we treat people.  The main story is about Auggie and how his classmates react to his appearance being so different.  However, there are side stories also in the book involving his sister and her friends and the troubles of school that they are experiencing. It also teaches how parents set the example for their children on how to treat people.  I have read this book twice now and each time it has touched me and reminded  me why it is so amazing.  This may not be based on a true story, but it is a story that we all need to hear and can learn from. 

In the classroom, I read this was a-loud to my third grade class. The ending was so powerful that I almost teared up in front of my class, because I really wanted them to understand what the book was teaching.   There were many discussions throughout the book.   We then watched the movie and did a compare and contrast lesson between the book and the movie. 

 

The Bad Seed

by Jory John

Week 1:  Young Adult Literature, SEL theme

Nobody does Social Emotional Learning books like Jory John.  All of his books teach lessons in self-awareness and understanding of the feelings and emotions that we go through daily.

 “The Bad Seed” is just one example of his books.  It teaches a child that, yes, bad things might happen in our lives, but that doesn’t mean that we have to give into the negative feelings that come with those traumatic experiences.  The “Bad Seed” has a bad experience that leads him to not caring about how he behaves.  His behavior effects how others view him and he feels that he has been labeled a “bad seed” so what is the point in trying to not be one if that is what everyone already thinks.  

However, he is not a fan of being a “bad seed” and then decides he doesn’t want to be one anymore and starts to do things differently. He realizes that his actions can change not only how he feels about himself, but how others feel about him.   This book teaches kids that things may happen that make us angry and we might want to behave in a way that is not appropriate, but that they have the power within themselves to control their actions and emotions.   In the end, the “Bad Seed” finds out he’s not so bad after all.